12/22/2025
A Genealogical Discovery: Uncovering the Origins of a Family Name
In the course of researching my family history, I have long been intrigued by the naming patterns that span generations. My great-great-grandfather, Andrew J. Gilpatrick of Clifton, Maine, has been a central figure in this pursuit. Family records, particularly those compiled by my mother, consistently referred to him as Andrew Jackson Gilpatrick. However, despite extensive investigations into vital records, census documents, and other primary sources, I had never encountered definitive evidence confirming his middle name as "Jackson"—only the initial "J" appeared reliably.
This changed recently when I located a newspaper article in the Bangor Daily Commercial dated July 19, 1897. The piece, found on page 6, column 2, explicitly uses his full name: Andrew Jackson Gilpatrick. For the remainder of the article, he is referred to informally as "Jack." This discovery provided the long-sought validation of his complete name and introduced a nickname that had not previously surfaced in my research.
The revelation prompted a deeper reflection on familial naming traditions. (Actually, it was a sudden OMG moment, but let's pretend I reflected on it). It occurred to me that "Jack" might well be the inspiration behind several names in subsequent generations. My father, Jack D. Simonds, bore this name without any known explanation from prior records—it was notably "Jack" rather than the more common "John," and there are scant instances of either in earlier lineages. Similarly, my sister, Jacquelyn, and my nephew, Jack, as well as another nephew, Colton Jack, carry variations that echo this theme. In the absence of other documented influences, it seems plausible that the nickname "Jack" for Andrew Jackson Gilpatrick has subtly shaped our family's nomenclature across time. Mr. Gilpatrick's daughter, my great-grandmother Sarah, married a man also known for his hunting and trapping prowess, Walter Simonds. Their son, Murray, likely grew up surrounded by hunting stories of his father and of his "Grandfather Jack." Murray named his oldest son Jack in 1929.
This finding underscores the value of persistence in genealogical work, where a single historical document can illuminate connections that bridge centuries. For those exploring their own roots along the Kings Highway or beyond, such moments remind us of the enduring threads that bind us to our ancestors.
"Gilpatrick, Bear Slayer," Bangor [Maine] Daily Commercial, 19 July 1897, page 6, column 2; imaged, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/image/1105926358/ : accessed 2 December 2025).
